Clockwise from left: Burt’s Bees Goodness Glows Liquid Makeup, Hynt Beauty Duet Perfecting Concealer, Clove + Hallow Pressed Mineral Foundation.
As the name implies, foundation is the fundamental building block of your cosmetics collection, so finding the right formula is critical to achieving an ideal finished look.
Conventional beauty brands often depend on artificial ingredients, such as silicones (which can clog and congest the skin) to enhance a product's ease of spreading, a quality that many natural formulas have been unable to replicate – until now. Lately, brands – using all-natural ingredients – have made major strides in launching foundations that mirror the feel and finish of fan favourites. (Cue trumpets.)
Known for its lip balms and commitment to using natural ingredients, Burt's Bees has expanded into traditional makeup with seven colour cosmetics lines spanning eyebrow pencils to blush.
When it came to foundation, creating an all-natural formula that could stand up next to the benchmarks of luxury brands was a particular challenge.
"This was torture," says Abena Antwi, lead innovation scientist at Burt's Bees. During 20 or so meetings, Antwi told her team members they may have to compromise on the all-natural mandate if they wanted to achieve a high-performance formula. This was, however, a non-negotiable. "They were like, 'Nope. This is why we pay you,'" she says.
Working with an advisory board that included makeup artists, Antwi eventually reached her goal of producing a hydrating, full-coverage foundation that is 98.9-per-cent natural and is free of silicones and phthalates. Most importantly, it offers an easy-to-wear, glowing finish that can work seamlessly into your makeup routine.
"It's a water-soluble formulation so you get good coverage with any applicator that you want to use," Antwi says. "I use my fingers."
WHAT TO TRY
Burt's Bees Goodness Glows Liquid Makeup, $19.99 through burtsbees.ca
Made in 12 shades that match 80 per cent of skin tones, this formula is created with responsibly sourced meadowfoam and has 75-per-cent postconsumer recycled packaging.
Hynt Beauty Duet Perfecting Concealer, $32 through thedetoxmarket.ca
This lightweight and buildable concealer is infused with aloe vera and avocado oil, melting into the skin to mask acne, spots and dark circles.
Clove + Hallow Pressed Mineral Foundation, $28 through cloveandhallow.com
This pressed mineral powder foundation can be applied with a dense brush for a satin finish and is housed in a refillable compact (sold separately).
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